The Sirius Saga
by darkgreenqueen
Summary: Sirius and James were not always the best of friends. When James starts to go out with the bitchy Lily, Sirius starts to feel left out. Meanwhile, Sirius finds out about Dumbledore's drug problem and his passionate love affair with M.Pomfrey
1. Introducing Sirius

Disclaimer: Anything you don't recognize belongs to me, example bad  
spelling weird names that you have never heard of, everything else belongs  
to the author of Harry potter J.K. Rowling. I'm not jealous.  
  
The Sirius Saga  
  
Chapter One: An unfortunate incident on the girls' staircase  
Sirius examined his image with a critical green eye. "I've seen enough of  
your face for one day young lad!" Came the voice of the strangely  
loquacious mirror. He ignored this remark and swept his black hair from his  
eyes and tried to mess it up a bit as James had recently compared it with  
Snape's greasy black horsehair that was so often the subject of their  
jokes. He knew James had been kidding, but still, there were also girls to  
take into consideration.  
"Hey Black," came a familiar voice at the doorway. Sirius started at this  
formal use of name and sat up instinctively, then looking around, "Don't  
scare me like that, you sounded like Mcgonagall! You can at least call me  
by my first name!"  
"Sorry mate," said James, patting his friend on the back, "hate to  
interrupt your 'stargazing' but-"  
"-If you don't shut up," Sirius interrupted, standing up, "I'll tell Lily I  
saw you flex your 'wondrous quidditch muscles' in front of the mirror  
yesterday." James raised his hands in fake surrender, as the mirror started  
rambling on again in total agreement. Girls had always been his weak spot,  
especially one Miss Evans.  
"Is Lily up yet?" James asked.  
"I saw her in the common room just now, she asked to speak to you, she's  
back in the girls' dormitory now. Why don't you go in and see what she  
wants?" Sirius said perhaps a little too casually.  
"What?" James looked frightened.  
"Ooh are you scared all those nasty girlies will kick you out?" Sirius said  
in a childish voice laughing. James blushed the color of his scarlet  
quidditch robes showing that this was in fact what he was afraid of. "She  
wanted to talk to you, she said it was really urgent. There's nothing to  
worry about, I go up there all the time." Said Sirius, still with a note of  
casual innocence in his voice. However James, even after being best friends  
for nearly six years with Sirius did not pick up the unusually innocent  
tone of voice; but this was no wonder as James, being a natural Griffindor,  
always seeked out every opportunity to show his bravery.  
"Maybe I'll do that!" James marched out of the dormitory and into the  
common room. He breathed deeply, and made for the girls' staircase, but as  
soon as he had put his foot on the first stair he was pushed away from it  
with a supernatural force that sent him hurtling backwards onto the hard  
stone floor.  
"Wow nice beard!" Sirius laughed at James who was sitting on the floor  
ashen faced looking terrified, hardly daring to move. James felt his newly  
grown beard, which covered most of his face, and stared at Sirius with the  
utmost loathing in his eyes. It was true his pride had been hurt, but he  
knew he should have known better; there was definitely no halo floating  
over Sirius' head.  
"You-" But Sirius had already sprinted across the common room and through  
the portrait hole, a hollow laugh leaving echoes behind him. James gave up  
and looked around to see if anyone had seen. A couple of first years  
giggled at him, they were no trouble but if Lily saw. "My oh my, how  
handsome!" He heard a sweet little giggle, and found himself face to face  
with none other than Lily Evans. "Someone's been trying to get into the  
girls' dormitory, I thought I warned you."  
"Sirius dared me," he said hastily, trying to laugh with her but failing  
miserably. Her green eyes seemed to see straight through him and it made  
him seem the less superior, and that was what angered him. She smiled  
sweetly and raised one perfectly shaped eyebrow. To his relief she left the  
common room to go down to breakfast. He rushed up the boys' staircase and  
peered into the mirror looking reprehensibly at a bright orange beard that  
clashed horribly with his scarlet robes. There came a scream, and James  
peered around himself horrorstruck and then realized that it was the  
mirror.  
"Do you want me to jinx you?" He said threateningly, the mirror gasped, and  
fell silent. Even the mirror had heard that James and Sirius were best at  
using jinxes and curses in their year.  
Having no luck removing the spell, with his limited knowledge of five years  
at a wizard school, James set off forlornly to the hospital wing, dodging  
approaching footsteps around corners, with two hands clasped firmly over  
his face (which he also found to be matted with thick orange hair.) When he  
finally got to the hospital wing, he rushed in; two fur-clad hands clasped  
over his face like gloves. Desperation filled his eyes. "Can I help you  
there, Potter?" Said a motherly voice behind him. He turned around to see  
Madam Pomfrey in her pink flowery nursing robes. He blushed even more if it  
was possible for his face to do so; virtually every guy in the school had a  
crush on her, especially Professor Dumbledore.  
"Yes-I.er had a little accident you see." He said, sliding his hands away  
from his face shamefully.  
"Dear dear, someone's been trying to get into the girls' dormitory, am I  
right?" She sighed and shook her head disapprovingly. It was a habit of  
hers to ask unnecessary rhetorical questions, which always made you feel a  
lot worse. Without giving him time to make up an excuse, she bustled off  
to a cabinet full of strange colored liquids and took out a blue bottle.  
"Drink up now, I haven't got all day have I? Young Mason of Ravenclaw came  
in the other day with the very same problem, if it were up to me, I should  
have made you stay like that for a week until all the lice in Hogwarts have  
found a pleasant home. But boys will be boys no matter how utterly tiresome  
they are." James ignored her, evidently happy that she did not have that  
particular authority, and drank the blue liquid which tasted like pepper  
and water. He felt a strange sensation all over his body making his skin  
burn. He felt his hot face and was almost happy to feel that it felt a  
little less hairy at least.  
"Now you may have a few stray bristles around the place, but they should be  
gone within a few days. Now take this three times a day: once in the  
morning, once after lunch and once in the evening until it's cleared up,  
all right? Good."  
"James?" Came a hoarse voice from the other side of the hospital wing.  
James turned around to one of the hospital beds in the far corner. His  
friend Lupin was there, he had poked his head around a set of flowery pink  
hangings, his white face looking as pale and sunken as ever. He had  
expected him to be here as Lupin was always ill. The hospital wing seemed  
to be his home most of the time, and when he was out of the hospital wing  
he spent most of his time catching up on class work that he had missed.  
They laughed together.  
"You and Black had a disagreement?" He asked, pulling the hangings out of  
the way and sitting up.  
"It was just a joke really. Anyway what's the matter with you this time  
then? Full moon's not for another week isn't it?" Lupin put a finger to his  
lips to keep his voice down. A werewolf had bitten Lupin when he was  
younger causing him to transform into one himself. It was a big secret  
between their circle of friends and as far as they knew only Professor  
Dumbledore and Madam Pomfrey knew his secret.  
"Yes, but I've always had a few side affects. Dumbledore's ordered a  
special potion for me from Egypt which will hopefully take the side affects  
away but-"  
"Oh shit!" James yelled remembering Quidditch practice, apparently  
oblivious of Madam Pomfrey a few feet away, then realizing his fault, "Er-  
sorry Professor I-"  
"-OUT! OUT OF THE HOSPITAL WING! I WILL NOT HAVE YOU DISTURBING MY  
PATIENTS, GET OUT!" she bellowed, looking far from good-looking now he  
thought. So James, who had been planning to leave anyway, rushed off to his  
belated Quidditch practice.  
Sirius meanwhile had been down at breakfast filling in a crossword in the  
Daily prophet, humming a tune to himself. He didn't notice all the girls  
staring at him; in fact he was quite used to it by now. He and James were  
the most popular in the year, and they knew it well.  
"Hey Sirius, heard anything from James?" He turned round to see Lily. She  
had red hair and bright green eyes. She was also very popular. "I saw him  
with an orange beard about an hour ago, I thought you might have had  
something to do with-"  
"-Patience m'lady, patience, he'll be like that for a few months or so, but  
I'm sure there's nothing to worry about." He laughed again but stopped at  
the expression on her face.  
"A month!" She said horrorstruck, mislead by his sarcasm.  
"Oh yes, it's very serious." He said looking stern and crossing his dark  
eyebrows.  
Lily looked worried and then said, "well tell him I was looking for him  
will you?"  
"Will do," he said winking at her. She frowned, and then walked off and sat  
with her group of friends at the other end of the table looking mortified.  
Sirius looked over to the Slytherin table and saw Snape looking over at  
Lily, apparently interested.  
"Ooh I don't think she's your type Snivellus." He said loudly, and laughed  
along with everyone else on the Gryffindor table. Snape shot him a  
malicious glance and slouched back towards his food sulking malevolently.  
Sirius looked around him as he saw various girls looking at him admiringly.  
He caught sight of an attractive girl with long black hair watching him at  
the Ravenclaw table. He thought she must be from the year bellow. He smiled  
at her and waited for her to blush like all the others. To his surprise she  
just smiled back and looked back down at her book. He rose to the challenge  
and walked over.  
"Hey, I'm Sirius, Sirius Black." he said.  
"Yeah.I know, I'm Sophia, well Sophia Chang that is." This time he felt  
himself blush. This had never happened before; he was usually the opposite.  
He gulped, "cool name-I mean there's not really many people called-you  
know." He was lost for words and now suddenly interested in a bowl of fruit  
on the table.  
She laughed and looked back down at her book. He was half-glad of this. He  
got up from the table and decided he would go and see if James was at  
Quidditch practice. He got to the large green pitch, and sure enough he saw  
seven red shapes zooming around in and out of several white poles.  
"Potter! Hey!" He called, just as a hand reached out for a golden ball in  
mid-air. He saw a red shape look in his direction.  
"I'm not talking to you! You knew that the staircase was jinxed didn't  
you?"  
"Look mate it was only a joke ok!" He yelled back.  
The red shape swooped down next to him at the speed of light and Sirius  
noticed he still had a few orange bristles on his face. "Won't be long  
Ernie, just got to sort something out ok?" He called to the Captain of the  
team. He threw the snitch into the air and turned back to face Sirius.  
"Look I'm really sorry." Sirius looked earnest; he and James had been best  
friends since first year.  
"It's just you know what day it is tomorrow right?" James looked down at  
his feet.  
"What?"  
"Well today is the thirteenth of February and Lil-"  
"Shit I forgot! Dammit!" Sirius' face screwed up like a troll in agony.  
"Well back to my problem." James continued rolling his eyes, "Lily will  
never go out with me again!"  
"Sorry mate but I've got some serious chatting up to do!" Sirius ran off in  
the direction of the school and disappeared from sight. James flew up to  
join the others shaking his head.  
Sirius meanwhile went into the common room looking around frantically. He  
had to find a date! How would he look, the most popular guy in the whole  
year, with no date on Valentines Day! It had never happened before. He  
suddenly realized why he had received so much female attention recently. He  
thought about that Chang girl he had seen at the Ravenclaw table, but what  
if she said no! The thought was unbearable. He had never been rejected  
before. There was always Rosmerta he thought. She was new this year, as she  
had moved from Beaubaton, a wizarding school in France. He had always had a  
crush on her since she came to Hogwarts; but then again he had a crush on  
so many girls these days that it was hard to keep track. However James was  
the first one to show an interest in her, which was what instantly  
triggered the thought of asking her in the first place. She was also in  
Ravenclaw along with Sophia so the only chance of talking to her would be  
at the feast tonight. It would be ok he thought, she was one of the girls  
who giggled every time she walked past him.  
Wholly satisfied with this, he decided he might as well give his History of  
Magic homework a shot. It was his worst subject; he and James had always  
preferred Defense Against The Dark Arts. Anything was better than listening  
to Binns droning on about Goblin Rebellions, which had no significance to  
his future career he wished to pursue as an auror.  
That night before the evening feast Sirius prepared himself. He took a  
shower, being careful not to use too much conditioner, as he was still  
paranoid that his hair would look anywhere near as greasy as Snape's did.  
Finally he got out his wand and pointed it at his hair. "Stylissimo!" He  
shouted, and his hair arranged itself perfectly, without looking too tidy.  
He took one last look at his reflection, humming loudly to block out the  
sound of the mirror, and raced down the stairs, as he was already late for  
the feast.  
On his way down he saw James who had tried to cover the orange prickles on  
his face by pushing the top of his robes up to his long nose. Lily was  
comforting him, (whilst trying not to look at him at the same time.)  
"Alright there mate?" Sirius said, "See Lily doesn't give a damn what you  
look like, do you Lily?"  
"Oh piss off troll-face." Came her reply.  
"Who's suddenly into people's appearances! Well I have to say you do look a  
lot like a ginger dwar-"  
"-Sirius leave her alone will you?" James roared. He noticed James' eyes  
were red.  
"Look man I really-"  
"Just think about other people for a change!"  
"What is wrong with you?"  
"I've just received a message from Dad, Mum's been taken to St.Mungos'."  
"I'm-I'm really sorry mate I-" But Lily had shot up her middle finger.  
Sirius eyed her loathing her more by the second, and then went back to go  
another route, watching them as they slowly disappeared from sight over his  
shoulder. He saw Lily's arm around him. Anger flared up inside him like  
fire. Every since that interfering little bitch had come into his life, she  
had changed him into this sensitive sentimental. Sirius hit his fist  
against the wall not realizing that it was in fact a portrait where the fat  
lady and her friend Violet were having tea.  
"Insolent boy!"  
The fat lady stood up from her tea party and wiped her skirt as if his  
hands had been covered in dirt when he had hit the painting. Sirius rolled  
his eyes, too caught up in himself to apologize when to his surprise he saw  
Rosmerta walking down the corridor.  
"Hi there," He said, using his deep-sophisticated voice. He watched as she  
giggled nervously.  
"Hi." They stopped and stared at each other for a few seconds and then  
Sirius knew that this was his only chance.  
"So it's Valentines' day tomorrow right?"  
"Yeah I guess so." She looked absolutely terrified. Sirius tried to  
interpret her expression. Was she terrified of him or just shy?  
"You got any plans then?" He asked her trying to sound as casual as  
possible.  
"N-no you?" She said quickly. Sirius pretended to be thinking, staring into  
the space in front of him, and then after five seconds: "Nope, do you want  
to meet up tomorrow then?"  
"Like-like a date sort of thing?"  
"Some people call it that."  
"Yeah, I'd love to!" Her expression was positive now.  
"Well I'll meet you in the entrance hall for Hogsmeade tomorrow at 10:00."  
"Y-yeah that sounds." She trailed off still recovering from shock,  
".great."  
"Bye then, see you later."  
"Bye Sirius." He strode down the corridor and noticed that she was running  
(she was in fact hurrying off in a frenzy to tell her friends.) What a  
weird girl he thought to himself. He arrived at the feast half an hour  
late. Most people were already going upstairs to bed. He saw Lily and James  
in deep convocation and pretended he didn't see them. He bit his steak  
incredibly hard, trying to suppress his anger, which was overflowing like  
his cauldron so often did in potions, as he listened to Lily's words of  
comfort. They seemed to echo in his head swirling around like a whirlpool.  
Sirius looked over to the Slytherin table to try and take his mind away  
from them. He saw his cousin Narcissa, her beady eyes so much like that of  
a bird; fixed upon Snape who was talking to her on the other side of the  
table. He saw that Snape was laughing; it seemed unnatural, somewhat  
deformed, his sallow cheeks pulsating every time he laughed. It was  
sickening to watch. Sirius couldn't be bothered to make fun of him now;  
leaving the rest of his food, he walked off down the hall and up the spiral  
staircase to Gryffindor tower. 


	2. Vengeance on Valentines'

Chapter Two: Vengeance on Valentines'  
The next day, Sirius woke up to find that he had slept in. It was a Sunday,  
and after looking at his watch he realized that he had to meet Rosmerta in  
half an hour. He sat up, squinting his eyes to adjust to the light and then  
instinctively smoothing his disheveled hair. He saw James just about to  
leave the room, just as he was taking his last peek in the mirror. The  
mirror was asleep, which was a good sign. Sirius did not like to have his  
temper fuddled with in what he called the 'early hours of the morning.' He  
got up quickly and got dressed into what he thought were his 'coolest  
clothes.' They consisted of a pair of muggle jeans, a black T-shirt and a  
leather jacket, which looked very worn due to the vintage spells Sirius had  
cast on them to make them look trendy. He spent his usual amount of time  
mirror gazing and trying out different hairstyles and eventually settled  
with a kind of spiky hair-do that would have driven his already crazy  
mother even crazier. Then just as the mirror woke up he took out his wand:  
"Floristi!" He shouted perhaps a little to vehemently as the bunch of  
flowers he had just conjured obscured all of his face when he held them in  
front of him. He would look a bit strange carrying them all the way  
downstairs he thought. He caught sight of the silvery invisibility cloak  
next to James' bed. He took it and decided he would use it to cover the  
flowers and then surprise her.  
He arrived at the entrance hall at 10:15. The hall looked a little over the  
top he thought; the walls were bright pink and real-live cupids were flying  
around in the air shooting golden arrows that disappeared into glitter as  
soon as they had been shot. There were even little fairies sprinkling heart-  
shaped confetti over the students. He looked around the gathered crowd and  
then saw Rosmerta looking around desperately apparently very upset. He  
walked over to her and said, "Surprise." She gasped and looked around a  
little frightened; her large brown eyes growing even bigger. When she  
caught sight of him she looked up at his hair looking interested. Sirius  
didn't like this too much, so he decided it was time for the flowers.  
"I got you a present." He said, and peeled off the invisibility cloak that  
obscured the large bunch of flowers.  
"Oh my Goodness!" She blushed, and looked around at her friends who were  
all watching intently with mouths open.  
"Sorry they're a bit over the top but-"  
"-Oh no they're lovely, its just.how am I going to carry them?"  
"That's simple," he said as if it was obvious. He took out his wand and  
said "Levito!" and the bunch of flowers levitated in mid-air, "Problem  
solved." She looked at him open-mouthed.  
Then there came a loud magically enhanced voice, which boomed over the  
waiting crowd making everyone shudder and look up towards the speaker.  
"Would everyone please line up in an orderly fashion if you please!" The  
voice was that of Professor Piscis the Charms teacher who was also head of  
Ravenclaw house. Everyone lined up by the door, most of them with their  
hands over their ears. Sirius saw James who's face looked completely normal  
again, laughing about something with Lily. He didn't care so much now. Wait  
till he sees me with Rosmerta, he thought.  
"Sirius? Sirius?" Sirius looked around at Rosmerta who had been trying to  
gain his attention.  
"What?"  
"Look!" She pointed up at the ceiling where Peeves was obviously taking  
great delight in throwing water bombs over Professor Piscis who was dodging  
them as best she could. She had hitched up her robes and was now running  
screaming towards the staircase. Sirius peered round some Hufflepuff  
students and watched as she raced up the staircase with Peeves on her tail  
now blowing raspberries. As soon as she had disappeared everyone looked  
around for any other teachers to take charge.  
"I'll go and find a teacher." It was Griffiths, one of the Prefects who  
always sucked up to the teachers.  
"Don't be a idiot!" Sirius burst out.  
"Excuse me are you aware of this?" He pointed at his highly polished  
prefects' badge.  
"And are you aware of this?" Sirius said taking out his wand. Everyone  
gathered round. Some students cheered him on enthusiastically.  
"I-I'm afraid I'm going to have to report you, you know Dippets' got you on  
record, and I can do anything I want."  
"Really?" Said Sirius interestedly, completely relaxed, now twiddling his  
wand between his fingers, "but you know I think Dippet would be highly  
amused to know that someone as distinguished as a prefect would take a girl  
with him into the Prefects bathroom." Everyone gasped. This was obviously  
highly secretive information. Griffiths blushed a deep scarlet, his hands  
shaking.  
"Well then everyone," said Sirius, "those who wish to go to Hogsmeade in a  
non-orderly fashion please raise your hand." To his amazement James stepped  
forwards.  
"I'm with you man." Sirius wondered if this was a peace offering or just  
James' obsession for being part of the moment. This was enough. Together  
Sirius and James could lead the whole school if they wanted to. Peter  
Pettigrew stepped forwards.  
"Me too!" He said timidly. Then everyone raised their hands except for  
Griffiths and another prefect.  
"Right then, would you all line up in a non-orderly fashion if you please!"  
Mimicked Sirius in Professor Piscis' high-pitched squeal. Everyone laughed.  
Soon the doors of the great hall had burst open and everyone was racing out  
of Hogwarts towards Hogsmeade. Rosmerta looked at Sirius admiringly, but  
Sirius didn't see, he was looking over at Sophia Chang. She was talking  
with the Hufflepuff Quidditch captain who was presumably her date. No one  
seemed to care that they were breaking rules, there was no way that any of  
them could get expelled as there were so many of them. Sirius was unlikely  
to get into trouble as he had earned respect from most of the students,  
even those from Slytherin, in fact everyone except for Snape and the  
players on the Slytherin Quidditch team who disliked him because he was  
friends with James. After all, his cousin Narcissa Black was only popular  
because of him.  
Sirius decided that it was time to break the ice between him and James. He  
walked over to him stiffly. He cleared his throat and James looked round.  
"Hey James, I'm really sorry about the beard n stuff." To his surprise  
James just laughed.  
"That's alright mate. I'm sorry too for being such an idiot about it."  
"Oh yeah is your mum ok then?"  
"Yeah, she's ok now."  
"Cool, well can't keep the lady waiting." Sirius gave one last smile and  
walked back towards Rosmerta who was watching him inquisitively.  
They were now walking down the familiar path that led towards the town.  
"So your from Beaubaton right?" He asked her.  
"Yes, we moved here earlier this year."  
"Well you're very good at English for someone who's lived in France most of  
their life." He said.  
"Well my father is English so I was brought up with both languages."  
"Oh I see."  
"Why did you move schools? I've heard that Beaubaton is the best Wizarding  
School around."  
"It's very complicated." She suddenly looked very uncomfortable, ".It's a  
long story.you wouldn't understand."  
"Fine then." Sirius said somewhat resentfully.  
"I'm sorry.I-"  
"-No, no it's ok." Sirius tried not to sound too annoyed.  
"If you promise not to tell anyone then." She said suddenly looking  
agitated.  
"Of course, I swear on my life." They were now turning the corner off the  
path that showed the whole of Hogsmeade, colorful lights glowing in the  
distance.  
"Well you see, there is a sort of dark wizard group in France. Some of the  
most powerful wizards in the world have joined it. They have bad powers,  
enough to take over the world some people say.Well my father, you see, he  
worked for the French ministry-"  
"-He's an auror?" Said Sirius with admiration.  
"Oh God, I really shouldn't be telling you this!"  
"I gave you my word."  
"Yes-yes of course you did.but I mean you can't tell anyone, not even  
James."  
"I promise you, I swear on my life." Sirius was sincere in this. He may be  
a troublemaker, but his heart was in the right place. His family may have  
been power greedy Slytherins but Sirius had always been different.  
"Well nearly a year ago my father set out on a dangerous sort of mission to  
try and stop them. I don't know the particulars; even I'm not allowed to  
know. But it was around this time last year when my father was sent away by  
the French ministry.He-he never came back. Some say he was tortured for  
information. They sent other aurors to try and find him, but they had moved  
their premises." She started to cry, and took out a flowery handkerchief  
from her pocket and dabbed her eyes.  
"I'm really sorry, I had no idea."  
"No-no I'm ok.goodness look at me, I'm so pathetic. It happened almost a  
year ago, and there's still hope isn't there?"  
Sirius, even though he very much doubted this said, "Yes, of course there  
is." People turned around to see why she was crying.  
"She's ok." Said Sirius to the watchful crowd, afraid that they would think  
he was the cause of her suffering, "hey how about we go to The Three  
Broomsticks or something, where it's a bit quieter?" he suggested. She had  
almost stopped crying but was still stuttering.  
"Y-yeah that's a g-good idea." She said, her shoulders rising every time  
she took a breath.  
They past various shops including Zonkos' joke shop where Sirius and James  
had spent most of their usual Hogsmeade weekends and a tasteless robe shop  
where a fat old witch was shouting at people to come in. Then they got to  
The Three Broomsticks, which was where most of the students went for  
drinks.  
"Let's sit over here," said Sirius walking over to a table in the corner of  
the pub where there was no-one except for an old witch knitting with  
magical thread that was changing color every time it moved. They sat down  
at the table next to her and then Rosmerta carried on talking, but in a  
whisper.  
"Th-then my mother started to receive th-threatening letters, so my mother  
reported them to the m-ministry, but they didn't have a clue where they  
were from. They d-didn't even know if they were in connection with the dark  
wizards' group."  
"What kind of letters?"  
"D-death threats," she said shuddering, "They didn't even have a motive as  
far as we knew."  
"Weird."  
"I know. So anyway the ministry told my mother that she had to move  
somewhere safe. They suggested that we move here because of Hogwarts' good  
reputation, and my mother could speak good English. So that explains it I  
suppose." Sirius was shocked. He had always had a liking for danger, but he  
had never heard anything this serious before.  
"I'm so sorry." Sirius said.  
"Thanks, but you never know there may be just a little bit of hope left."  
Then after about five seconds Sirius could not control his burning  
curiosity any longer.  
"So what do you know about this dark group of wizards?" He blurted out,  
just as her breathing had got back to normal.  
"I don't know much about them. I guess I was never allowed to know. But  
it's very serious, the French ministry has been on their tail for years  
now. They say that there are mostly dark wizards involved, all purebloods.  
They all believe in the purification of the wizard race. It makes me sick  
to think of them." She was staring at the wall behind Sirius, a murderous  
expression on her face. Sirius watched her, a little alarmed, as she looked  
the spitting image of Snapes' famous 'glare' that he used to frighten off  
giggling first years who eyed his greasy hair.  
"Make good Slytherins eh?" Sirius said while watching a group of Slytherins  
who were leaning up at the bar, jinxing the bartender to grow a curly pink  
tail when he had turned his back.  
"I don't think that anyone as bad as that would be in Slytherin." She said  
with some offence, as she had some friends in the Slytherin house. However  
Sirius very much doubted this, Snape would make a very good dark wizard one-  
day, he thought. He was always calling Lily a 'mudblood', though not so  
much in front of James now, as he was aware of James hobby for standing up  
for people just so he could have a good duel. James always won at duels,  
mainly because Sirius was always at his side.  
After about half an hour the date was altogether unsuccessful. It had been  
very dull, mostly because she had been talking continually about memories  
of her father and occasionally asking him to pass her a napkin to blow her  
nose. Sirius did not mean to be so unsympathetic, but he knew that he would  
never be one of those sensitive-understanding types that James tried to be  
to attract female attention. He had always lived for the moment, and had no  
inclination whatsoever to dwell on the past, especially not his own. After  
all he hadn't had an altogether incredible child-hood. He had learnt how to  
look after himself and tutor his own mind. He knew, with a sinking heart  
that his parents were exactly the sort of people that would make Rosmerta  
'sick.' But Sirius had always had his own self-confidence and self-  
assurance. His family had never influenced him in any way; mainly because  
he was so headstrong and refused to listen to what other people said most  
of the time.  
Sirius' family had turned out to be almost all Slytherin, and his mother  
had been very disappointed when he was put into Gryffindor house. Sirius  
had always wondered why he was in Gryffindor with such a name as Black,  
which had always been disrespected by so many families, but there had  
always been a similarity between Slytherins and Gryffindors. This  
similarity was that they both had the same want to prove themselves;  
although Slytherins did so in a self-interested power-hungry way, and  
Gryffindors in a less selfish way. His mother had always loved him, but  
Sirius always found it protective, like the natural instinct a bird has to  
protect their eggs from predators. Sirius hated her for this reason. His  
father was always away on his own 'personal business' as he explained it,  
but Sirius knew better than this. He knew enough of his family to suspect  
some kind of wayward corruption. He had tried to turn a blind eye to this  
but ended up finding out more than he wanted to know. He ran away from home  
when he was fourteen, and was immediately accepted into the Potter  
household. His family disowned him and his mother had even scratched his  
name out of their family tree as if his birth had been obliterated from all  
memory. She hadn't even used magic, but out of anger had scratched it off  
with a knife as if his written name was his flesh and blood.  
Sirius was thinking about this while Rosmerta talked rhetorically to him  
while taking large gulps of butterbeer in-between her sobs.  
"Sirius? Sirius?" Sirius looked up quickly suddenly realizing where he was,  
"Were you listening to anything I was saying?"  
"Sorry-yes carry on."  
"I thought you would have been a little more considerate!" She stood up and  
walked out of the pub just as the bill was flying magically towards the  
table. Sirius didn't care about being ditched for the first time, he was  
sick of her, 'I mean why couldn't she just grow up!' he thought. She wasn't  
stuck in a family full of dark wizards. Then to make matters worse James  
and Lily entered. Sirius was just about to leave when,  
"Sirius! What are you doing all alone on Valentines' day?" Came a gleeful  
mocking voice. Sirius looked round at Lily, her arm around James.  
"Just drinking myself to death." He said.  
"What happened?" James asked, a note of consideration in his voice.  
"Rosmerta has to be the most boring date I've ever had. I fell asleep while  
she was talking, so she ditched me." James laughed, but it wasn't a mocking  
laugh, it was more a friendly laugh that showed it was no big deal.  
"That's classic that is!" James said, and Sirius found himself joining in.  
But Sirius could have sworn that Lily hadn't moved a single one of her one  
hundred and sixty facial muscles at that moment.  
"That is so pathetic Sirius! How can you be so tactless?"  
"Well haven't had any trouble wit the ladies in the past have I?" He said  
winking at her. Lily blushed, in their first year it was a well-known fact  
that Lily had had a big crush on him. But now it was James that didn't look  
too happy.  
"How about we order some drinks?" He cut in desperately.  
"How about some fire whiskey?" Sirius suggested, "After all we don't have  
any supervision."  
"Sounds like a good ide-"  
"-Not while I'm here." Lily said firmly, who had now regained her  
confidence.  
"I'll have another butterbeer then," Said Sirius dismally, who knew that  
Lily was not a person to cross.  
"Me too."  
"Ok then three butterbeers it is." James said and walked over to the bar.  
When James had gone Sirius found a perfect opportunity to embarrass Lily.  
"So how big was this crush?" He said.  
"Oh shut-up."  
"You've got to learn to laugh at yourself you know Lil."  
"Well let me tell you this once and for all, I wouldn't go out with you if  
you were the last man on Earth!"  
"You know it's strange, that's exactly the same thing you said to James the  
other day and look at you love-birds now!"  
"He's changed a lot since then," she said defiantly.  
"Oh really?" Said Sirius in a sarcastic voice.  
"Yes he has," and then she gave him a look that silenced him.  
Then after a while Sirius said, "What is James doing? He's taking  
absolutely ages."  
"Yeah, I'll go and see." Glad for this interruption, she walked over to  
where James was leaning over the bar trying to look as inconspicuous as  
possible.  
"James?" He jumped.  
"What are you doing?"  
"You'll see in a minute." Then as Lily peered over his shoulder she said,  
"James, whatever your doing with his drink stop it!"  
"Keep your voice down will you! It's just a joke that's all."  
"What is it anyway?"  
"I bought a polyjuice potion off Snape, and I just added some stuff to it  
that's all."  
"Off Snape! You're joking right? It could have been poison!"  
"Well considering I hung him upside-down and cursed him to warn him about  
that then I'm sure it's ok."  
"You didn't!" She sounded very angry; she had always tried to stick up for  
Snape when they had gone too far.  
"Oh come off it you don't still have a soft spot for that greasy haired  
bastard do you?"  
"Do what you want then, poison your bestfriend." They walked back to the  
table where Sirius pretended to be asleep from waiting so long, snoring.  
"Here you go." James passed him the tampered butterbeer.  
"What took you so long?" He asked looking up.  
"Barmaid got the wrong order and mixed it up with this other guy. Although  
I wouldn't have minded a brain popping brandy myself."  
"Hey look, what's Dumbledore doing here?" Sirius said in fake surprise,  
pointing at the door. As Lily and James looked around in horror Sirius  
swapped his glass with what he thought was James'.  
"Where?" They said simultaneously.  
"Made you look, made you scare, made you loose your underwear!" Sirius  
said.  
"Sirius," said Lily, "We're fifteen, although you may have the mental age  
of a two year old."  
"Cheers everyone!" Said James raising his glass.  
"I would like to make a toast," said Sirius, "After our fight yesterday, I  
realized how much our friendship means to me, and well.I promise you I  
won't make you do something like that again." James gulped, suddenly  
feeling a little ashamed of himself. After this toast had been made they  
all took a sip of butterbeer. Then they all put their glasses down, Lily  
and James watching Sirius expectantly, and Sirius watching Lily in  
disbelief. Her face was growing tiny worm-like threads of orange hair. But  
unlike James' incident the hair was growing all over her face, her nose,  
her forehead, and now her arms and neck! She let out a high-pitched scream  
grabbing the attention of the whole pub, her hands clutched over her face.  
"James! You idiot! Is this your idea of a joke?" She screeched at him.  
"But-but I swear I gave it to Sirius!"  
"So much for our new-found friendship Potter." Said Sirius sardonically. He  
got up and smirked at Lily and said, "I must say Lily do hush up a bit and  
act your age, you're beginning to sound like me!" Sirius got up,  
deliberately leaving his chair a meter away from the table and stormed out  
of the pub. The population of the Three Broomsticks was watching in  
complete silence with mouths wide open.  
"Do something James!" Said lily desperately who could hardly breath through  
the orange hair that was still growing.  
"Someone get a mediwizard!" Someone rushed out of the pub to go and get  
someone. In about a minute a mediwizard had apparated right in front of  
them. He quickly muttered a charm to stop the hair growing anymore.  
"You from Hogwarts?" He asked breathlessly. She made a squeaking noise and  
nodded, as it was now impossible for her to speak, "I'm afraid it's off to  
St.Mungos', never seen anything as bad as that since a man came in with  
devil's snare wrapped around his neck. What happened anyway?"  
"Polyjuice potion." James said looking very red in the face, "It was meant  
to be a beard."  
"No! This ain't no polyjuice potion, well it could be, but it's definitely  
a very strong one. So a beard you say?" James hastened an explanation of  
the girls' staircase. To his surprise the mediwizard threw his head back  
and laughed.  
"Well I would have thought you'd have been sensible enough to know about  
using hair produced from other spells. It doubles the affect you see  
because the hair wasn't part of the body of the victim." He shook his head  
disapprovingly, "and not a very nice Valentines' day gift either I must  
add."  
"It wasn't meant for her." Said James quickly. There was still a crowd of  
people around them talking in harsh whispers.  
"Well, since it's just a polyjuice potion, it'll wear off in about an hour  
or so."  
"Thank you for coming to help." The man gave a croaky laugh and apparated.  
Then turning to the audience, "Clear off will you, this isn't a freak  
show!" They gave him one last disapproving glance and walked back to their  
tables.  
"Oh God you don't know how sorry I am. I'm serious! I gave the glass to  
Sirius, something must have-"  
Then it hit him, Sirius swapped them around! "Oh that bastard thinks he's  
so clever doesn't he! I'll get him for this." James suddenly looked  
menacing, his fists clenched, "I'll be right back." He said despite the  
little high-pitched squeals coming from across the table. James raced out  
of the pub and into the street and then bumped into something large and  
hairy.  
"Watch it will ye!" It was Hagrid the Hogwarts gamekeeper.  
"Now's not the time Hagrid." James was running down the street almost as  
fast as if he had been on his broomstick, his voice growing fainter as he  
spoke. He knew where Sirius would be. He got to their secret place that  
even Lily didn't know about, the Shrieking Shack. It was a house where  
Lupin made his transformations every full moon, and where they had secret  
meetings. It was a good place as it was hidden by a large clump of trees.  
No one had dared enter as Professor Dumbledore had deliberately spread  
rumors about the place being haunted.  
"Sirius! I know you're in there!" James tried to push the door open but it  
was magically locked.  
"Alo hamora!" He shouted, perhaps a little too violently as the door burst  
open, causing him to fall headfirst. He saw Sirius sitting in the corner  
staring into empty space. "Let's have a duel Sirius, you and me. How does  
that sound?"  
"How about we have a little talk first." Sirius' voice sounded deadly as if  
he was about to strike out at any moment.  
"Alright then go ahead!" James was still standing by the door looking  
furious.  
"Let's begin with a simple question then. Who would you rather hurt, me or  
Lily?"  
"What?" James looked confused and angry at the same time.  
"Your best friend or your girlfriend? Come on out with it!"  
"That's not the point!" James was now fuming with anger.  
"That's exactly the point James. Ever since you've been going out with that  
bitch you haven't been a friend at all!" Sirius had expected James to try  
the killing curse on him after that, but James was surprisingly calm.  
"How can you expect me to choose Sirius? You're both my best friends, I  
haven't changed."  
"You have! You always put on this sensitive act around her. I mean come on  
we haven't even got drunk since you started going out with her!"  
"Sirius maybe it's just time for you to grow up a bit."  
"I can't believe you, I really can't." Sirius was shaking with fury  
pointing his finger at him that shook violently, "You're saying I need to  
grow up when you were about to make me grow a beard for a practical joke?  
Look man we're as bad as each other, what's happened to you? Don't you  
remember? Moony, Wormtail, Padfoot and Prongs?"  
"Look of course, I'll always be Prongs but that's not.that's not all me."  
"Tell you what Prongs," Sirius said, spitting out his name as if it were  
dirt, "I've had enough of you, I think it's time for us to part don't you?"  
Sirius got up and walked out of the door slamming it so hard it almost fell  
off its hinges. James went after him.  
"Sirius you don't get it do you?"  
"Get what exactly? This girlfriend of yours has completely jeopardized out  
friendship. This isn't you! You've changed completely just to impress her!"  
"I love Lily." There was a silence.  
Sirius shot him one last glance that was as powerful as shooting a bullet  
to his target. James was frozen on the spot. What had he just said? Did he  
really love her? Was he ever going to get drunk again? 


	3. Double Detention

Chapter Three: Double Detention  
The Hogsmeade visit had ended earlier that day than usual. This was  
unmistakably due to their break for freedom earlier that morning, which had  
ended unsuccessfully and prematurely when Hogwarts had received news about  
an injured student.  
It was found that professor Piscis had been locked into a cubicle in the  
boys' bathroom, and unfortunately she had dropped her wand during the chase  
leaving her 'unarmed and defenseless' as she had squeakily explained to the  
headmaster. A prefect who wished to be unnamed had spilt the beans on  
Sirius, landing him in detention along with James who had the whole of the  
Three Broomsticks and Lily to stand against him.  
As soon as the students had been taken back to Hogwarts they were all  
crammed into the hall to write 200 lines. After James and Sirius had  
finished their 200 lines they were to report to Professor Piscis' office  
where the detention would take place. James was the last of the two to  
finish the lines, mostly because he wanted to make sure he didn't have to  
walk with him. When he got to the office he knocked.  
"Come in!" She squeaked. He came in and looked around. Tiny professor  
Piscis was patrolling the room arms folded, and to his amazement he saw  
Sirius suspended on the wall, upside-down, his face as red as a tomato. She  
stopped, took out her wand, and pointed it at James. She muttered something  
under her breath, and suddenly he was off his feet in a flash. He looked  
around him and saw that everything was the wrong way up. It was an  
extremely uncomfortable feeling, the blood was rushing to his head and his  
glasses were dandling uncomfortably on the end of his nose.  
"Erm."He heard Sirius say, "how long to we have to stay like this for? Just  
as a matter of interest."  
"We'll see." She squealed, taking out some parchment and her quill.  
"It really hurts." He hinted. She shot him an impatient look and then  
pointed her wand at him. He spun round, still attached to the wall. James  
could only listen and brace himself.  
"Owwwww!!!" He yelled. There were footsteps outside and then the door  
opened. It was professor Mcgonagall.  
"What is going on in here?" She said in a frustrated voice, as Sirius'  
yells had reached her office next door.  
"That will be all boys!" Professor Piscis said meekly, pointing her wand at  
them again and muttering a reversing charm. They both fell with a  
simultaneous bump; James' glasses shattering on the floor, which had  
fortunately taken the attention away from the dung bombs that cascaded from  
Sirius' pockets. They were pleased to see that Mcgonagall looked absolutely  
astounded. They massaged their heads in unison with a lot more vigor than  
would be expected, took one last offended look at Professor Piscis, and  
left the room. Then their natural instinct was to wait out in the hall with  
their ears to the door.  
"I am sorry but this school does not tolerate this kind of physical abuse  
to students!"  
"I was only doing my job, it was my responsibility as a teacher.to.to teach  
them what is right and what is wrong!"  
"I am terribly sorry Angora, but Dippet will have to hear about this and  
come to his own conclusion about this." She winced at the sound of her  
first name, and looked around as if expecting to see hundreds of faces  
peering in at the door.  
Later that day, Sirius, who had been telling animated tales about that  
day's events, made his way to Professor Dumbledore's office to do another  
detention for not doing his transfiguration homework. He didn't mind this  
however, every detention with Dumbledore would always end up to be a  
friendly chat, and Dumbledore would even offer him sweets. Sirius had  
always been Dumbledore's favorite student. This was because he used to go  
out with his mum when they were at Hogwarts together, and had somehow never  
got over her. After a friendly chat and several sherbet lemons, Dumbledore  
suddenly became very awkward.  
"You know Sirius.I.I've been thinking. Well, I heard from Dippet you had  
been caught with.well some Mung weed the other day." (Mung weed being a  
muggle equivalent of cannabis.)  
"Well I was already suspended for that so-" But Dumbledore interrupted him  
a desperate expression on his face, as if he had been starved.  
"Please Sirius.if.if you could."  
"Professor!" Sirius exclaimed.  
"If you only knew how I have dreamed. oh Sirius! Just name a price!" Sirius  
had never been so surprised in his life. They were suddenly interrupted by  
a knock at the door.  
"Hello?" Dumbledore called out, his voice shaking.  
"Oh Dumbly-dor?" Came a woman's silky voice, "I'm here for you, just like  
you specially asked me to be! Come quick!" Sirius could have fallen off his  
chair.it couldn't be.no!  
"Madam Pomfrey?" Sirius whispered, in disbelief. Dumbledore was redder than  
he had ever seen anyone before. Dumbledore stood up from his chair.  
"Wait a minute Poppy!" He called, shaking uncontrollably. "Please," He  
whispered to Sirius, "don't tell anyone about this.my.my reputation could  
be a stake!" He looked desperately into his eyes. Sirius nodded, still with  
an astounded look on his face.  
"Now, hide behind the sofa for a bit, and-"  
"Oh come off it! I don't want to hear you two-"  
"-I'll signal to you-"  
"Hello?" Came Madame Pomfrey's agitated voice, "Dumbledore I'm freezing in  
this dress will you please let me in!"  
"Now go behind there that's it," he said to Sirius pointing to a blue sofa  
in the corner by the door. Sirius obeyed him, "I'm coming my darling," he  
said coming to the door and opening it.  
"Oh Dumbly-door you took so long!" She said kissing him on the cheek.  
Sirius almost had to hold his mouth shut from being sick. Madam Pomfrey was  
wearing a sort of Barbie-pink feathery mini-dress that was extremely low  
cut.  
"Now come over here, I want to show you something I got for you today in  
Hogsmeade." Said Dumbledore going to the corner and taking out a gold bag.  
"Oh you shouldn't have darling," she said smiling. As she turned to the  
corner Sirius waited for a signal, and sure enough, Dumbledore winked at  
him just as Madam Pomfrey took out a gold bikini from the bag. Sirius who  
didn't think he could contain his nausea any longer almost ran to the door  
and opened it quietly and slipped through. 


End file.
